Entire Oregon Coast Affected by Shellfish Biotoxin Closures

5/30/2024

Oregon – Official Release: The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announce new shellfish closures.

The harvest of mussels is now closed along the entire Oregon coast. Illnesses consistent with paralytic shellfish poisoning have been reported from sport harvested mussels, and mussel samples taken from the Oregon coast have exceeded the limit for paralytic shellfish poison. 

Razor clam harvesting is closed from the Yachats River to the California border for elevated levels of the marine biotoxins paralytic shellfish poison and domoic acid. Razor clam harvesting is open from the Washington border to the Yachats River. 

Bay clam harvesting is closed from the Washington border to Cascade Head for elevated levels of the marine biotoxin paralytic shellfish poison. This includes all clam species in the bays. Bay clam harvesting is open from Cascade Head to the California border. 

Crab harvesting is open along the entire Oregon coast. Oregon Department of Agriculture will continue to test for shellfish toxins twice per month, as tides and weather permit. Reopening an area closed for biotoxins requires two consecutive tests with results below the closure limit. Contact Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for recreational license requirements, permits, rules and limits.

For more information call Oregon Department of Agriculture’s (ODA) shellfish biotoxin safety hotline at (800) 448-2474, the Food Safety Division at (503) 986-4720, or visit the ODA recreational shellfish biotoxin closures webpage.